Origin: China. Sichuan pepper offers a strange & unusual form of pungency. It produces an odd, tingling, and buzzing, numbing sensation that is something like the effect you get when you touch the terminals of a 9 volt battery to your tongue or when you drink carbonated beverages. The flavour characteristics of Sichuan pepper range from an initial citrus zest, to numbing shock then followed by a lingering sweetness. This spice should be lightly roasted before use so that the citrus overtones are overshadowed by the browned, woody notes that go well with meats